the oakdale affair-第5部分

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ival　of　the　Oakdale　train！　What　more　was　needed？　Absolutely　nothing　more。　　The　tongues　ceased　wagging　in　order　that　they　might　turn　hand…springs。

Find　Abigail　Prim；　whispered　some；　and　the　mystery　will　be　solved。　　There　were　others　charitable　enough　to　assume　that　Abigail　had　been　kidnapped　by　the　same　men　who　had　murdered　Paynter　and　wrought　the　other　lesser　deeds　of　crime　in　peaceful　Oakdale。　　The　Oakdale　Tribune　got　out　an　extra　that　afternoon　giving　a　resume　of　such　evidence　as　had　appeared　in　the　regular　edition　and　hinting　at　all　the　numerous　possibilities　suggested　by　such　matter　as　had　come　to　hand　since。　　Even　fear　of　old　Jonas　Prim　and　his　millions　had　not　been　enough　to　entirely　squelch　the　newspaper　instinct　of　the　Trib…　une's　editor。　　Never　before　had　he　had　such　an　oppor…　tunity　and　he　made　the　best　of　it；　even　repeating　the　vague　surmises　which　had　linked　the　name　of　Abigail　to　the　murder　of　Reginald　Paynter。

Jonas　Prim　was　too　busy　and　too　worried　to　pay　any　attention　to　the　Tribune　or　its　editor。　　He　already　had　the　best　operative　that　the　best　detective　agency　in　the　nearest　metropolis　could　furnish。　　The　man　had　come　to　Oakdale；　learned　all　that　was　to　be　learned　there；　and　forthwith　departed。

This；　then；　will　be　about　all　concerning　Oakdale　for　the　present。　　We　must　leave　her　to　bury　her　own　dead。

The　sudden　pressure　of　the　knife　point　against　the　breast　of　the　Oskaloosa　Kid　awakened　the　youth　with　a　startling　suddenness　which　brought　him　to　his　feet　be…　fore　a　second　vicious　thrust　reached　him。　　For　a　time　he　did　not　realize　how　close　he　had　been　to　death　or　that　he　had　been　saved　by　the　chance　location　of　the　auto…　matic　pistol　in　his　breast　pocketthe　very　pistol　he　had　taken　from　the　dressing　table　of　Abigail　Prim's　boudoir。

The　commotion　of　the　attack　and　escape　brought　the　other　sleepers　to　heavy…eyed　wakefulness。　　They　saw　Dopey　Charlie　advancing　upon　the　Kid；　a　knife　in　his　hand。　　Behind　him　slunk　The　General；　urging　the　other　on。　The　youth　was　backing　toward　the　doorway。　　The　tableau　persisted　but　for　an　instant。　　Then　the　would…be　murderer　rushed　madly　upon　his　victim；　the　latter's　hand　leaped　from　beneath　the　breast　of　his　torn　coat　there　was　a　flash　of　flame；　a　staccato　report　and　Dopey　Charlie　crumpled　to　the　ground；　screaming。　　In　the　same　instant　The　Oskaloosa　Kid　wheeled　and　vanished　into　the　night。

It　had　all　happened　so　quickly　that　the　other　members　of　the　gang；　awakened　from　deep　slumber；　had　only　time　to　stumble　to　their　feet　before　it　was　over。　　The　Sky　Pilot；　ignoring　the　screaming　Charlie；　thought　only　of　the　loot　which　had　vanished　with　the　Oskaloosa　Kid。

〃Come　on！　We　gotta　get　him；〃　he　cried；　as　he　ran　from　the　barn　after　the　fugitive。　　The　others；　all　but　Dopey　Charlie；　followed　in　the　wake　of　their　leader。　　　The　wounded　man；　his　audience　departed；　ceased　screaming　and；　sitting　up；　fell　to　examining　himself。　　To　his　surprise　he　discovered　that　he　was　not　dead。　　A　fur…　ther　and　more　minute　examination　disclosed　the　addi…　tional　fact　that　he　was　not　even　badly　wounded。　　The　bullet　of　The　Kid　had　merely　creased　the　flesh　over　the　ribs　beneath　his　right　arm。　　With　a　grunt　that　might　have　been　either　disgust　or　relief　he　stumbled　to　his　feet　and　joined　in　the　pursuit。

Down　the　road　toward　the　south　ran　The　Oskaloosa　Kid　with　all　the　fleetness　of　youth　spurred　on　by　terror。　　　In　five　minutes　he　had　so　far　outdistanced　his　pursuers　that　The　Sky　Pilot　leaped　to　the　conclusion　that　the　quarry　had　left　the　road　to　hide　in　an　adjoining　field。　　　The　resultant　halt　and　search　upon　either　side　of　the　road　delayed　the　chase　to　a　sufficient　extent　to　award　the　fugitive　a　mile　lead　by　the　time　the　band　resumed　the　hunt　along　the　main　highway。　　The　men　were　de…　termined　to　overhaul　the　youth　not　alone　because　of　the　loot　upon　his　person　but　through　an　abiding　suspi…　cion　that　he　might　indeed　be　what　some　of　them　feared　he　wasan　amateur　detectiveand　there　were　at　least　two　among　them　who　had　reason　to　be　especially　fear…　ful　of　any　sort　of　detective　from　Oakdale。

They　no　longer　ran；　but　puffed　arduously　along　the　smooth　road；　searching　with　troubled　and　angry　eyes　to　right　and　left　and　ahead　of　them　as　they　went。

The　Oskaloosa　Kid　puffed；　too；　but　he　puffed　a　mile　away　from　the　searchers　and　he　walked　more　rapidly　than　they；　for　his　muscles　were　younger　and　his　wind　unimpaired　by　dissipation。　　For　a　time　he　carried　the　small　automatic　in　his　hand；　but　later；　hearing　no　evi…　dence　of　pursuit；　he　returned　it　to　the　pocket　in　his　coat　where　it　had　lain　when　it　had　saved　him　from　death　be…　neath　the　blade　of　the　degenerate　Charlie。

For　an　hour　he　continued　walking　rapidly　along　the　winding　country　road。　　He　was　very　tired；　but　he　dared　not　pause　to　rest。　　Always　behind　him　he　expected　the　sudden　onslaught　of　the　bearded；　blear…eyed　followers　of　The　Sky　Pilot。　　Terror　goaded　him　to　supreme　physical　effort。　　Recollection　of　the　screaming　man　sinking　to　the　earthen　floor　of　the　hay　barn　haunted　him。　　He　was　a　murderer！　He　had　slain　a　fellow　man。　　He　winced　and　shuddered；　increasing　his　gait　until　again　he　almost　ran　ran　from　the　ghost　pursuing　him　through　the　black　night　in　greater　terror　than　he　felt　for　the　flesh　and　blood　pursuers　upon　his　heels。

And　Nature　drew　upon　her　sinister　forces　to　add　to　the　fear　which　the　youth　already　felt。　　Black　clouds　ob…　scured　the　moon　blotting　out　the　soft　kindliness　of　the　greening　fields　and　transforming　the　budding　branches　of　the　trees　to　menacing　and　gloomy　arms　which　ap…　peared　to　hover　with　clawlike　talons　above　the　dark　and　forbidding　road。　　The　wind　soughed　with　gloomy　and　in…　creasing　menace；　a　sudden　light　flared　across　the　south…　ern　sky　followed　by　the　reverberation　of　distant　thunder。

Presently　a　great　rain　drop　was　blown　against　the　youth's　face；　the　vividness　of　the　lightning　had　increased；　the　rumbling　of　the　thunder　had　grown　to　the　propor…　tions　of　a　titanic　bombardment；　but　he　dared　not　pause　to　seek　shelter。

Another　flash　of　lightning　revealed　a　fork　in　the　road　immediately　aheadto　the　left　ran　the　broad；　smooth　highway；　to　the　right　a　dirt　road；　overarched　by　trees；　led　away　into　the　impenetrable　dark。

The　fugitive　paused；　undecided。　　Which　way　should　he　turn？　The　better　travelled　highway　seemed　less　mys…　terious　and　awesome；　yet　would　his　pursuers　not　natur…　ally　assume　that　he　had　followed　it？　Then；　of　course；　the　right　hand　road　was　the　road　for　him。　　Yet　still　he　hesitated；　for　the　right　hand　road　was　black　and　forbid…　ding；　suggesting　the　entrance　to　a　pit　of　unknown　hor…　rors。

As　he　stood　there　with　the　rain　and　the　wind；　the　thunder　and　the　lightning；　horror　of　the　past　and　terror　of　the　future　his　only　companions　there　broke　suddenly　through　the　storm　the　voice　of　a　man　just　ahead　and　evidently　approaching　along　the　highway。

The　youth　turned　to　flee；　but　the　thought　of　the　men　tracking　him　from　that　direction　brought　him　to　a　sud…　den　halt。　　There　was　only　the　road　to　the　right；　then；　after　all。　　Cautiously　he　moved　toward　it；　and　at　the　same　time　the　words　of　the　voice　came　clearly　through　the　night：

　　　〃'。　。　。　as；　swinging　heel　and　toe；

'We　tramped　the　road　to　Anywhere；　the　magic　road

　　　　　　to　Anywhere；

'The　tragic　road　to　Anywhere；　such　dear；　dim　years

　　　　　　ago。'〃

The　voice　seemed　reassuringits　quality　and　the　an…　nunciation　of　the　words　bespoke　for　its　owner　consider…　able　claim　to　refinement。　　The　youth　had　halted　again；　but　he　now　crouched　to　one　side　fearing　to　reveal　his　presence　because　of　the　bloody　crime　he　thought　he　had　committed；　yet　how　he　yearned　to　throw　himself　upon　the　compassion　of　this　fine　voiced　stranger！　How　his　every　fibre　cried　out　for　companionship　in　this　night　of　his　greatest　terror；　but　he　would　have　let　the　invisible　minstrel　pass　had　not　Fate　ordained　to　light　the　scene　at　that　particular　instant　with　a　prolonged　flare　of　sheet　lightning；　revealing　the　two　wayfarers　to　one　an…　other。

The　youth　saw　a　slight　though　well　built　man　in　ragged　clothes　and　disreputable　soft　hat。　　The　image　was　photographed　upon　his　brain　for　lifethe　honest；　laugh…　ing　eyes；　the　well　moulded　features　harmonizing　so　well　with　the　voice；　and　the　impossible　garments　which　marked　the　man　hobo　and　bum　as　plainly　as　though　he　wore　a　placard　suspended　from　his　neck。

The　stranger　halted。　　Once　more　darkness　enveloped　them。　　〃Lovely　evening　for　a　stroll；〃　remarked　the　man。　　　〃Running　out　to　your　country　place？　Isn't　there　danger　of　skidding　on　these　wet　roads　at　night？　I　told　James；　just　before　we　started；　to　be　sure　to　see　that　the　chains　were　on　all　around；　but　he　forgot　them。　　James　is　very　trying　sometimes。　　Now　he　never　showed　up　this　evening　and　I　had　to　start　out　alone；　and　he　knows　perfectly　well　that　I　detest　driving　after　dark　in　the　rain。〃

The　youth　found　himself　smiling。　　His　fear　had　sud…　denly　vanished。　　No　one　could　harbor　suspicion　of　the　owner　of　that　cheerful　voice。

〃I　didn't　know　which　road　to　take；〃　he　ventured；　in　explanation　of　his　presence　at　the　cross　road。

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　the　man；　〃are　there　two　roads　here？　I　was　looking　for　this　fork　and　came　near　passing　it　in　the　dark。　　It　was　a　year　ago　since　I　came　this　way；　but　I　recall　a　deserted　house　about　a　mile　up　the　dirt　road。　　It　will　shelter　us　from　the　inclemencies　of　the　weather。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　youth。　　〃Now　I　know　where　I　am。　　In　the　dark　and　the　storm　and　after　all　that　has　happened　to　me　tonight　nothing　seemed　natural。　　It　was　just　as　though　I　was　in　some　strange　land；　but　I　know　now。　Yes；　there　is　a　deserted　house　a　little　less　than　a　mile　from　here；　but　you　wouldn't　want　to　stop　there　at　night。　They　tell　some　frightful　stories　about　it。　　It　hasn't　been　occupied　for　over　twenty　yearsnot　since　the　Squibbs　were　found　murdered　therethe　father；　mother　three　sons；　and　a　daughter。　　They　never　discovered　the　mur…　derer；　and　the　house　has　stood　vacant　and　the　farm　un…　worked　almost　continuously　since。　　A　couple　of　men　tried　　　working　it；　but　they　didn't　stay　long。　　A　night　or　so　was　enough　for　them　and　their　families。　　I　remember　hear…　ing　as　a　littleerchild　stories　of　the　frightful　things　that　happened　there　in　the　house　where　the　Squibbs　were　murderedthings　that　happened　after　dark　when　the　lights　w